Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-06-15
c A T A r r H

~ "A IA - = ~ n
THE TERM CATARRH rs AP-
L piled to a peculiar disorder OF the
nostrils and adjacent parts, which prevails
to an alarming extent and ia productive OF
very serious consequences.
The most prominent and Characteristic
features Is morbid discharge from the
head, varying in its nature at different
times.
In some there is an almost ron slant flow
of clear, acid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purult Mt, or mucopurulent, gIeenish-yel-
low matter is seereted, which accumulates
in the nostrils or drops Tito the throat,
neces stating Its frequent removal by blow
lug the nose or expectoration. and often by
bosn processes. sometimes patients feel as
though their whole head was in a state OF
rottenness, so great is the amount of matter
discharged and SO fetid is IT'S odor, The
patient is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat of the morbid
matter from the head, and as a recumbent
position naturally tavors the flow down
wa d, his rest is frequently disturbed from
this cause. Many sufferers are obliged to
lie with the head very much elevated iu
order TO sleep with some degree OF com
fort.
In others a tough, viscid aud off nsivs
phlegm collects behind aud above the sof.
palate, in the passage between the tn oat
and head, sdhering to the parts With gluish
tenacity. Its lodgment embarrasses respi.
ration and creates sensation OF irrltati' n
huu uuthblnttS III tnc dHtCttu lbChlltts
which gives rise to a constant and almost
irresistible desire to relieve the discomfort
by drawing the mucous into the throat SO as
To eject it by the mouth. This practice.
popularity known as "hswking," is chsraC
| teristic of catarrh, and proves as embar.
RAISING to the one affected rs it Is disagree.
able to those around him
Again, the offensive matter hardens aud
deposits itself on the membrane in the
share of dry, hard concreions. which are
discharged by way of the los rils or throat
in Jumps or fragments of a deep green tint
In some cases these incrustations accumu-
| late to such an extent as to form regular
plug in the nose, which obstructs breathing
and produces serious discomfort. SO firmly
do these incrustations adhere to the point
of attachment that their removal u ually
erquires the mos violent efforts; not unfre
quently they haveto be torn from the mem
br ine. Occasionally solid cast Of notable
| size is expelled, on which there are gener-
ally traces of blood, but in some cases the
| G ist presents a tubular appearance, being
of exact shape of the nasal cavity. This
| condition is indicative OF liberation, which
| in time may destroy the bony structure of
| the nose and produce subsequent fiatten-
| ing OF that organ.
Cases are occasionally met with In which
| a thick, viscid, Shiny secretion coets the
membrane of the nasal cavities and then
| putrifes, giving rise to a stencil which is
| really overpowering and sufficiently fetid
| to poison the atmosphere of whole room
| anu tutTe are OlHtTe III w ulCl MI lut btCTe-
| tions OF the membrane are suspended, caus-
| ing an unpleasant feeling of dryness, heat
| and feverishness in the head and nose-a
condition popularity known as DRY Ca
| tarrh."
The disease speedily extends to the air
cavities of the bones OF the forehead and
| face, giving rise to distressing sensation
| of heavy weight or compression over the
forehead, especially in the region above
| and between the eyes, and to feeling OF
| fullness, heat, irritation. soreness or pain
| in the nostrils near the root of the nose,.t
well as in the upper part Of the throat, above
and behind the soft palate. Sometimes
/ there is pain Obstinately fixed in some par
tculaI part, as in the temple, on the top OF
| the head, at the back of the neck, or behind
| the orbits, and occasionally pain maniiests
itself in the face of SO severe a character
| that 1t Is frequently mistaken for neuralgia
The breath Ia ALWAYS tainted and at times
| assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
odor. In some cases 1t becomes so revolt
| ing offensive as to render the sufferer
on object OF dsgust to himself as well as to
others.
| The nasal membrane is thickened and
| cong -sted, causing the nose 10 be stopped
up, sometimes on one side, sometimes on
| the other, and often on both, giving ris Q to
disagreeable stuffy sensation in the head,
and occasioning violent and prolonhec
paroxysms of sneezing.
| The voice is weak. indistinct and husky,
or of nasal character, displaying a sort OF
1
| tinuous hoarseness and discordance. There
! is also sense of irritation in the throat
and frequent attempts TO clear the parts OF
pblegm, producing the sound "hem" more
or less forcibly. In some cases patients
complain of an uncomfortable feeling of
/ fullness, or choky sensation in the throat
and in others of distressing and almost
constant dryness. for the temporary relief
Others. again, speak of constant bad or
| nauseous taste in the mouth or throat.
The stomach generally suffers more or
| less and becomes weak and irritable; the
| appetite is capricious and nearly always bad
in the morning. The patient Il languid, un-
able to perform mental or physical labor
with the usual facility; is nervous, de-
pressed in spirits, at times fearful, timid,
sgitated and inclined to drOwslness and
| sleep, the memory weakened and perman.
ent impairment threatened.
| The mucus membrane soon becomes NOR
bidly sensitive to unfavorable Influences,
and In spite OF the utmost care becomes af.
fected from the slightest causes. so that at
last breath of wind u pom the lining of the
nose or throat becomes productive OF cold,
| and gives rise to serious disturbances of the
respiratory organs. Thus the patient is sub
tect to frequent and repeated colds, each
attack aggravating the disease by giving 1t
new impulse and involving a larger ex-
tent or surface than its predecessor. In this
| manner the difficulty spreads from organ to
S organ, invading the throat, llarynx. traches
| further and further, 1t reaches tho finer
ramifcations of the bronchi, when but q
slight impulse is required to send 1t to the
lungs. Catarrh may, and often does. affect
| other organs in the body especially those
containing mucus membrane, such as the
stomach, bowels, kidneys, etc.
BY the employ ment of proper inhalations
In the form of medicated vapor (not steam
or spray we are able to produce immediate
and direct action upon the diseased surface
in the pharynx and nasal passages, for air
will fnd.its way into the most remote and
intricate cavities. where 1t is utterly impos-
sible to make fluid applications. Bv these
means every case can be cured
OzGNA.
name given to the advanced form Of catarrh
in which liberation has eaten through the
membrane lining of the nose to the cartil-
age Of the bone. Any case of catarrh may
In those who are naturally scrofuous. The
discharge takes place through the nOstrils
or through the throat, and Is generally of
yellcwish or greenish yellow color, freqent-
tended by an offensive smell In the Ian.
guage of DR.. Wood, of Philadelphia, 'The
disease is ore of the most obdurate and
dtsagreeable which the physician has to
encounter. In bad cases the breath OF the
patient becomes so revolving as to isolate
him from society and to render him an OBJ
ject OF disgust even TO himself" In some
cases pieces OF bone become separated and
slough off. leaving deep, unhealthy ulcers.
which secrete a bloody matter and are ex.
tremely difficult to heal. After ozpna has
continued for some time the sense of smell
usually becomes impaired and often lost
Deafness is one OF the most common conse-
9uences, and results from its extension
through the eustachian tnbes to the internal
ear. Pains In the head and over the frontal
sinuses, impairing memory, and even In
sanity frequently springs from its extension
70 the brain. The greatest danger, however,
because the most common, Is that 1t will
extend downward and affect the lungs. In
most cases of pulmonary disease catarrh is
present in some degree. and In many in.
stances IL causes large share of the pa
tient's discomfort.
Besides these grave consequences, all Of